Rotary engine.



J. W. swims & M. M. PARKER-i "ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

W Jliznvaama 7Wa7ao/51M7aJWef v J. W. CURTIS & M. M. PARKER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED nmglo, 1912.

1,05 8,157. P n ed Apr. 8, 1,913;

' s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. W.- CURTIS & M. M. PARKER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APVPLIOATION FILED 'Jnm: 10,-1912.

latented Apr. 8, 1913.

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES, PATENT orFIc-E.

' the following is a JOHN W. CURTIS AND MALCOLM M. PARKER, or wininme'ron, NORTH CAROLINA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed J une 10, 1912. Serial No. 702,811.

-To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known thatwe, J GEN W. Currie and COLM M. PARKER, citizens of the States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Hanover and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. This invention relates to an improvement in rotary engines and the. primary object. of the invention is the provision of an efii-, cient device of this character of such a con struction as will enable a large number of the parts and a great amount of the packing. heretofore employed in connection with de-. vices of this character to be dispensed with. .To this end, the invention contemplates in arotary engine of a rotary piston and rotary abutment type, the provision of anabutment of such a construction that the desired steam tight joint may be maintained between the abutment and piston without the employment of any packing at that point. e I j The invention further contemplates in an engine of this character, the admissionof steam direct to the abutment chamber and a rotary abutment of such a construction that it willlcdntrol the admission of steam to' the abutment chamber and the passage of steam from the abutment chamber to the piston chamber.

United Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detaileddescription here inafter when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein the invention is illustrated, and wherein like charactersof reference refer to similar parts in the several views.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotaryengine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the engine with the parts shown in the positions occupied when thepiston is traveling under momentum; Fig 3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the abutment chamber and the upper portion of the piston chamber, the abutment and piston being removed; Fig. 5. is a perspective view of the ring like member the abutment; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of theshaft and arm for supporting and rotating the convenient embodiment of ring like member of a transverse vertical section of the engine showing the position of the parts just as steam is being admitted to the abutment chamber; and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the position of the parts after the piston has been rotated for a part of a revolution and while steam is the abutment chamber and from thence to the piston chamber.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates a casing which is provided with a suitable supporting base A and with a cylindrical piston chamber A and asmaller cylindrical abutment chamber A therein, said chambers intersecting so that the abutment chamber is in communication with the piston chamber. The sides of the casings are closed by suitable heads A which may be secured in position in any desired manner so as to render the abutment and piston chambers steam tight.

Goncentrically mounted for rotation .within the iston chamber A is. a rotary piston B which is'equal in diameter to the diameter of the abutment chamber A s conveniently in the form of a metallic cylinder having a machined -outer surface and projecting radially from the iston is a piston wing B which is adapte to slidably engage the inner surface of the wall of the piston chamber A The piston wing B may, if desired, be provided at its outer end with suitable packing to provide a steam tight joint between the same and the wall of the piston chamber, or the adjacent surfaces 0 the piston chamber and the piston wing may be formed of metaland machined if desired. The iston B is carried by a shaft B which is ournaled in suitable bearings carried by the of which shaft projects beyond the front casing head and has secured thereon a gear .wheel B Closely fitting the abutment chamber A and rotatably supported therein is a, suitable abutment which is adapted durin the operation of the engine to have a rofiing contact with the cylindrical piston B and which is-provided with a suitable pocket for 006 oration with the wing B of said piston. 1911 the embodiment of the present invention, the abutment comprises a ring like member 0, the ends of which are separated to provide a gap for the accommodation of the piston wing B, and means for rotatably the abutment; Fig. 7 is still being admitted to The piston B casing heads A, one end I to have a rolling ail-El supporting the ring member in the abutment chamber, said ring like member being formed of yicldable metal and being pro vided with a finely machined outer surface, the outer surface of said abutment adapted during the operation of the engine,

contact With-the outer surface of the cylindrical pistonB. The edges of the ring lik' member C are finely machined so as to engage the inner surfaces of the casing heads A with a steam tight fit although if desired, suitable packing may be interposed between the sides of said ring like member and the adjacent portions of the casing heads. Means for supporting the ring like member C of the abutment comprises a shaft D which is positioned concentrically of the abutment. chamber and is journaled in suitable bearings carried by the cylinder heads A, said shaft being'provided with an arm 1) which projects laterally therefrom and is operatively connected to the ring like member G intermediate the ends thereof so that as the shaft D is rotated, the ring like member C of the abutment will be rotated therewith. The ring like member O oi the abutment is c0nveniently connected to the arm D projecting from the" shaft D in such a manner that said ring like member will be permitted alimited movement radially of the shaft. To this end the arm D is provided at its outer-end with a curved ortion d, conforming to the curvature of t e inner surface of the ring like member 0 and with a rib d which exfiendstransversely of the curved end of the arm D and projects outwardly therefrom, which rib is adapted, when the parts are in normal position, to project into a groove c which extends transversely in the inner sunfaee of the ring likia member C. It will thus be seen that while 1OlJ&l3l0I1 0f the shaft D will rotate the ringlike member C, such member is ;tree to move a limited extent radially with reference to the shaft. The shaft .D pro'ects outwardly throu h the front casing and and has secured t ereon a gear wheellD which is of the same size as the gear wheel B secured to the piston shaft B and meshes therewith sothat the piston abutment will rotate in unison'with the piston, during the operation of the enine. Carried by the shaft D and conveniently formed as a part of the arm D pro-' jecting therefrom 1s a segmental plate D which is adapted to slide upon the inner surface of the rear casing head A and to-corr trol the admission of steam to the piston ehamberas will be hereinafter more part-icularly pointed out.

The casing A is provided with a steam inlet port E which leads directly into the abutment chamber A just. above the point Where the shaft 1) passes therethrough; The'cas ing A is also provided with a portfor cstab beingv lishing communication between the interior of the abutment and piston chambers. In

the embodiment of the invention illustrated.

tends into the abutment chamber in close proximity to its connection with the exhaust end of the piston chamber A.

In starting the engine, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and with the parts in this position, steam entering the abutment chamber A. the steam inlet.

member C of .the abutment and directly engagethe pistpn wing 13, thus causing said piston to rotate to the left. As'the piston rotates, the abutment rotates otherewith, and the'gap between the ends of the ring like member C- of the abutment will be moved into the abutment chamber. Steam will continue to pass from the abutment chamber to the piston chamber, however, through the branches f and f of-the passage F. As the piston and abutment continue to rotate, the segmental plate D carried by the shaft. D will cover the branch j of the passage 1 Simultaneously with the covering of the branch f of the passage. F the plate D will uncover the branch f o the passage f, so that steannwill continue to pass from the abutment chamber to the through port E will pass through the gap between the ends of the ring like until the gap'in the ring like member G of the abutment is moved into communication with the exhaust endof the piston chamber,

at which time the steam in the abutment chamber will exhaust through the exhaust port G which leads from the piston chamber adjacent its connection with the abut- 7 ment chamber, thus preventing, condensw' tion of the steam in the abutment chamber.

The remainder of the rotation of the pis-" ton and abutment will be effected by momentum until the piston and abutment have steam to the interior of the abutmento'chamher through the inlet port E, when the operation Wlll be repeated.-

been moved to a position to again admit As the ring member C of the abutment is formed of ieldable metal, the pressure of the steam in the abutment chamber on the interior of said ring like member will that the formation of a steam tight joint lar form and construction therein shown without departing from the spirit and scope between the parts in this manner is facilitated by the manner of connecting the ring like member C of the abutment with the arm D so as to allow the ring like member a limited movement relative to said arm.

While a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that many changes may be made to the particuor" the invention as defined in the appended claims. We cla1m:

1. In a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber comn'iunicating therewith, a piston rotatably supported in said. piston ciiunlbcl', an expansiblehollow abutment rotatahly supported in said abutment chamber, and me; as admitting steam to the interior at said abutment.

2. In a rotary engine, a ca 'ng provided with a piston chamber and an abut-ment clmu'iber communicating there ith,.a piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber, and an abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber. said abut-ment being provided with yieldable end portions closely fitting the wall .of the abutment chamber, said end portions being separated to provide a space placing the interior of theabutment in connection with the piston chamber, and means for admitting steam to the interior of the abutment chamber.

3. In a rotary'engine, a casing'provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, a piston rotatably supported insaid piston chamber, and an abutment. rotatably supported in said abutment chamber, said abutment comprising a yieldablc ring like member closely fitting the abutment chamber and having its ends separated to place the interior of the abutment in communication with the piston chamber, and means for rotatahly supporting said ring like member in the abutment chamber.

4. In a rotary engine, a casing provided wit u a aiston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, av

rot-.ry piston concentrically mounted in said piston chamber and provided with a piston wing projecting therefrom, an abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber, said abutment being adapted to make rolling contact with said piston and being provided with a pocket therein adapted to co operate with the wing of the piston and with a yieldable wall adapted to be held in engagement with the piston by the'pressure of steam in the abutment chamber.

in a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, a rotatable piston concentrically supported in said aiston chamber, a piston wing project ing from said piston, an abutment rotatably supported in the abutment chamber, sald abutment comprising a yieldable ring like member provided with spaced ends to provide a pocket for the accommodation of the piston wing, means for rot-atably support ving the abutment, and-means for admitting steam to the interior of the abutment cham ber.

6. In a rotary engme, a casing 'provlded with av piston chamber, and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, a-

cylindrical piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber, a n ston wing project-- ing from said cylindri \lpiston, an abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber, said abutment comprising yield able ring like member, havingits ends separated to provide a pocket for theaccommm dation of the piston wing, said ringlike member closely fitting the abutment cham her and adapted to make rolling contact with the piston, a shaft concentrically'support-ed in said abutment chamber, an,ar m extending from said shaft and havingits outer end operatively connected to said ring like member intermediate the ends thereof.-

7. In a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewithja piston rotatably supported 1n said piston chamber, an abutment rotatably supported I I in said abutment chamber, said abutment,

comprising an expansible ring like memher having its ends separated, a shaft r0,- tatably supported in said abutment chamber, an arm extending from said shaft and looselyconnected at its outer end to said ringlike member whereby said inemberis permitted a limited movement relative to said arm.

8. in a rotary engine, a' casin provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, a piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber, and an abutment rotatebly supported in said abutment chamber, said abut ment comprising a yieldable ring like member having its ends separated, a shaft sup- ,1

ported concentrically of the abutment cham her, an arm projecting from said shaft, the outer end of said arm and the adjacent portion of said ring like member being pro-' vided one with a recess and the other with a projection adapted to fit into sa'id recess.

' steam through the inlet port into the abutment chamber and from the abutment chamher to the piston chamber through the passage connecting the same.

10. In a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, said cas ing beingeprovided with a steam inlet portleading directly into the abutment chamber, and with a passage connecting the abutment and-pitch chambers, a rotary'piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber, and provided with a piston wing projecting therefrom, an abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber, said abutment being provided with a yieldable outer wall, the ends of which are separated to provide a pocket'for cooperation-with the piston wing, and with means for controlling the flow of steam through the inlet port into the abutment chamber and from the abutment chamher to the piston chamber through the passage connecting the same.

11. In a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber, and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, said casing being provided with a steam inlet port leading directly into the abutment chamber through one of the end walls thereof, and with a passage connecting the abutment and piston chambers, said passage leading into the abutment chamber through the end wall thereof, a cylindrical piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber and provided with a piston wing projecting therefrom, a hollow abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber and pro vided with an opening in the outer wall thereof for cooperation with the piston wing,

incense said abutment being provided one end, with a plate movable over the ports in the 1 end wall of the piston chamber to control the flow of steam into the abutment chamber and from the abutment chamber to the piston chamber. v

12111 a rotary engine, a casing provided with a piston chamber and with an abutment chamber communicating therewith, and c ing being provided with a steam inlet sage leading directly to the abutment oha her through one of the end walls therec i, said casing being also provided with a sage communicating with the piston chain.- ber adj acent the inlet end thereof, and provided with branches communicating with 1 the abutment c'fzrmber through the end wall thereof, a cylindrical piston rotatably pported in the piston chamber and provided with a piston wing projecting therefrom, a

hollow abutment rotatably supported in the abutment chamber, the outer wall of said abutment being provided with an opening therein for-cooperation with the wing of the piston, said abutment being provided with a segmental end wall adapted to slide over the openings in the end wall of the abutment chamber to control the flow of steam to-the abutment chamber and its passage-from the jabutment ch amber to the plston chamber.

13. In a rotary engine, a casing provided jwith a pistonchamber and with an abutment chamber communicatingtherewith, a piston rotatably supported in said piston chamber and provided with a piston wing projecting therefrom, an abutment rotatably supported in said abutment chamber, said abutment comprising a ring llke member having its end separated'to provide a pocket for cotiperation with the piston wing, a shaft rotatably supported in said abutment chamber,

and an arm extending from said shaft and loosely connected at its outer end to said ring like member intermediate the ends thereof whereby said member is permitted. a limited movement relative to said arm.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W CURTIS. MALCOLM M. PARKER. Witnesses TI-IOS. R. I'IEATH, H; N. RAMSEY. 

